Listing your qualifications. If you finished up a high school diploma program or even earned skills towards a career, then you should include them on your resume. It shows that you used your time well and furthered your education while you were serving time. And if those skills include something akin to on the job training learning a machine or trade, then it really needs to be included. Asking someone that supervised you to be a reference might not be possible, but you can consider it.

Leaving the gap. When you are listing your job experience, there might be a gap from when your last job ended until now. You can simply leave it blank and if the question comes up, then you can answer it honestly as to where you were. The question might not even come up. However, you will need to decide before you go in when and how you tell the potential employer about your felony because it will come up. And it is probably better for it to come up in your own terms so you can explain the situation so they understand it. When they understand it and you bring it to light first, they might be more understanding and sympathetic to your reasons and explanation.

Always be on time. Reliability starts with showing up on time to work each day you are scheduled. No matter if there is rain, sleet or snow on the ground, you need to be more reliable than the mail delivery system and be ahead of the clock to sign in and starting your job a minute or two ahead of time.

Be reliable. If you get sick or the car breaks down, call and alert someone of your situation. There might be an alternative to getting to work if it is a transportation issue. And if you are sick, you might be required to get a doctor’s slip. But when something comes up, call and report in so you don’t appear to have just disappeared and turned unreliable.

Be honest. Don’t’ start calling in sick and faking an illness on a nice and sunny day. Or when it is snowing and cold and you don’t feel like going anywhere. Dishonestly will be the surest way to erase your credibility when it comes to an employer and keeping a job. And it will certainly not help your case if you leave them job and need a referral to move in to another one. Honesty is the best policy, so always be honest when it comes to your health, your situation, your abilities and what you will do for the company you are working for.

Some of the skills you can perform over the internet include consulting, writing, invoicing and transcribing. It might seem like menial work, but if you are in control of your situation and can dictate your schedule, then it might be an awesome job to get yourself back in to the marketplace. It is a good way to build up references and prove that you can work and be reliable in a business setting.

Working online also means you are your own boss and you won’t have to submit to a background check. You are the only one who needs to know about your past and if you perform your job to the satisfaction of your clients, no matter what it is, you can build a portfolio and no one needs to be the wiser. When you can work through the Internet, you can even deal with foreign countries and no one will ever have to find out about your past unless you feel like disclosing the information to them.

Working online also gets you used to a work schedule. Sure, you can work when you want, but you have to be disciplined and follow a schedule in order to get things done. If you can prove you are disciplined by building up a client list or referrals, then after a few months or years you might want to try going in to a small or medium sized business.

Check with your family. Do any of them own a small business that could use an employee? When that is the case, there is less explanation about your situation needed because chances are, they will already know and understand it. You still need to prove yourself and perform the tasks 100% to your ability, so you can use it as a stepping stone to get a better job in the future.

Ask any friends who might own a small business if they can take on an employee. Friends might be more understanding than family members even, so it is worth it to check them out as a resource. Those friends might not have a job opening or a business, but they could have a friend and give you a name and a contact number. Trying is all you need in order to find an opportunity.

Another resource to use is the Internet. There are local newspapers, Craigslist and probably a major newspaper that will contain a classifieds section that has job openings listed. You can search for small companies that are hiring or even see if there are some online jobs you could qualify for. But no matter if you are applying at the company or online, you might be required to submit to a background check. If you can, send an email or arrange a meeting with the owner and explain your situation to them before the background check comes back so they are prepared for it.

The first thing you should do when looking for a job is to see what small companies are hiring in your area. And with small, that means where you have access to speaking with a boss and explaining your situation to them before you get to the hiring process and background check. Because unfortunately, if there isn’t anyone to explain your situation to, the HR department will probably just reject you without another word once the felony shows up on background check. It is an unfortunate reality with a larger or even medium sized company. Trying to work with a small company might avoid the problem altogether.

Also, use your contacts to try and get an interview with a reliable company. Do you have friends who have been in your situation and understand how tough it is to get a job? Use your friends and family members to try and find a company that is hiring that knows your situation and will be understanding. Be honest with your situation and then they will also be more understanding because you were open and honest as soon as the process started. If you can prove yourself to be a reliable and dedicated worker, then there won’t be any worries once you have conquered the interview and hiring process.

The unemployment rate for convicted felons is exorbitantly higher than the unemployment rate for average citizens. Felons often have an extremely difficult time finding work because they have to meet with prejudice and fear from potential employers. You can help to assuage some of these fears and eliminate prejudices by attaching a great cover letter to the front of your resume.

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is a document that is attached to the front of the resume and is written specifically for the job for which you are applying. Unlike a resume, every cover letter that you send to a potential employer will be completely unique from other cover letters you have written. The cover letter’s purpose is to tell the employer why you are interested in his or her company, briefly explain your goals and skills, and inquire about an interview.

How to Write a Great Cover Letter

The best cover letter will be brief and to the point. You don’t want to overwhelm your potential employer with too much information or a rambling stream of consciousness writing style. If your cover letter is too long or convoluted, an employer may discard it without reading it. You should try to be unique and interesting in your cover letter. You can mention your felony or choose to save that information for the formal interview. However, if you choose to mention your felony in your cover letter, you will definitely stand out as a memorable candidate. Just be sure to explain the conditions of your felony and assure an employer that those actions are a part of your distant past.

Proofreading

Another very important part of completing your cover letter is proof reading. While this may seem like common sense, many consumers fail to proofread their cover letters before they send them to potential employers. If your cover letter is filled with grammatical errors and spelling errors, this will reflect poorly on your abilities and may make an employer second guess whether or not you are worth hiring. You should proofread thoroughly to avoid these mistakes.

Convicted felons deserve a chance to make something of their lives just as much as any other citizen of the United States. If you are a convicted felon, however, you may have met with serious resistance as you begin your job search. Some employers are hesitant to hire convicted felons because they feel that employees with a criminal history pose a risk to the company or the business. There are many felons, however, that have left their past indiscretions behind them and are looking for ways to make serious changes in their lives. If you want to get hired in spite of your criminal history, you need to start by making yourself irresistible to a potential employer.

Your Resume and Cover Letter

The best place to start when attempting to make yourself irresistible to an employer is with your resume and your cover letter. These documents are used to communicate all of your education, work experience, skills, and personality traits to a potential employer. Your resume is a chance for you to list all of your accomplishments and thoroughly show why you would be a great candidate for a job. You don’t have to worry about humility or modesty in a resume: employers want to know all about your qualifications. Your cover letter is a personal letter addressed specifically to a potential employer. In your cover letter, you can explain why you are interested in a particular position and why you believe you are the best candidate for the job.

Your Interview

The interview is your chance to shine. When you interview face to face with a potential employer, you must show the employer that you are confident, charming, and capable of relating to new people. The interview can make the difference in a job application.

Your Job Performance

After you have secured a position, your work has only just begun. From the moment that you begin working for a company, you need to work with an incredible sense of ethics and motivation. You have to prove to an employer that they made the right choice, so that they will never second guess their decision.

If you are a convicted felon, you’ve probably experienced the frustrating process of trying to find a job. You send in a great resume and provide glowing recommendations. You complete a perfect interview and the employer is beaming as you walk out the door. Then, however, comes the background check. When an employer checks your background and that felony pops up, your chances for landing your dream job might slip quickly down the drain. The problem for many employers is not that they are prejudiced against felons or criminals or necessarily that they believe you will have a relapse. The issue is that they must protect the integrity of their company by effectively managing risk. Many employers simply feel that hiring a felon is too great a risk. However, by making connections in the business community, you can prove to an employer that you are a wise decision instead of a risky one.

Be Friendly and Meet New People

Business networking is a very important part of landing a job. If you fail to network you might find that you have no resources to go on when you begin your job search. Networking allows you to get your foot in the door and can help you to stand out positively amongst a crowd of job applicants. If you want to start networking, the first thing you need to do is get friendly. The friendlier you are and the more willing you are to meet new people and form new relationships, the more likely you are to make a connection that will help you in your career.

Remember Names and Faces

Meeting people will get you nowhere if you cannot remember the names and faces of people you meet. Establish a mnemonic device that will help you remember names and faces and recall where you met specific people.

Don’t Be Afraid to Name Drop

When you interview, don’t be afraid to drop a few names and let a potential employer know that you are connected. Even if you are a felon, if you have a personal relationship with an employer’s associate, that may be enough to tip the scales in your favor.

For felons, getting a job can be a frustrating and embarrassing experience. However, it is possible. All you need to do is learn how to interview well.

Be Straightforward About Your Past

As a felon, the best thing you can do to ease the fears and remove the prejudices in the mind of a potential employer is to be up front and straightforward about your criminal history. When you talk freely about your criminal history, you can assure a potential employer that you have used your incrimination as a learning experience. You can even use this experience to create an incredible and memorable interview. Employers like to feel as though they are giving opportunities to their employees. After all, companies are started by big dreamers, and those big dreamers want to see you reach your full potential as well. If you are honest about your criminal past, you can easily remove the concerns from your potential employer’s mind.

Practice Your Interview

If you get nervous in face to face interviews, the best thing you can do is practice on a regular basis. You can use the internet to find sample questions that often come up in real life interviews. You can print off these sample questions and prepare a few thoughtful responses to questions like this. You can also practice an interview with a trusted friend or family member. Have your friend come up with several questions that you will not expect. Then, practice coming up with answers off the top of your head for these questions. It is important to remember to be calm and not rush through your answers. Take your time, and something will come to you.

Dress for Success

The way you dress is a very important part of getting a job after an interview. If you dress in an appropriate manner for the job, you will be more likely to receive the job. A good rule of thumb is to dress slightly more formal than the job would require. So, if most people in the office are wearing slacks and a polo shirt, you might consider wearing a tie.

Developing New Skills with Coursework

For a convicted felon, getting a job after being released from prison can be a very difficult and frustrating task. Many employers are hesitant to hire felons for open positions because they mistakenly feel that they or their other employees may be in danger by being in close proximity to a former criminal. You can help to tear down these prejudicial barriers by taking educational courses that will show an employer how serious you are about changing your life.

Take a Business Course or Attend a Conference

An excellent way to improve your chances of landing your dream job is to educate yourself with a business course or a lectureship series. Not only can you learn a great deal about the business community, but you can also impress a future employer by taking courses about business and business ethics.

Take an Art Class

One great way to pad your resume and increase your chances of getting a great job is to take an art class. Even if you are not considering a career in any field that has to do with the arts, an art class can communicate a variety of positive attributes to a potential employer. When an employer sees that you have taken an art class, he or she can assume that you are devoted to challenging yourself and creating new opportunities in which you can succeed.

List Your Education On Your Resume

When you have taken various courses in business or in the arts, you should pad your resume with this information. Employers like to see that potential employees take their education seriously. When you list various educational courses and experiences on your resume, an employer will assume that you are serious about accomplishing your goals and continuing to learn throughout your entire life. Even a convicted felon can get hired in a great position by listing extra coursework and educational classes on his or her resume. An employer will see these classes and assume that a felon has made drastic changes in his or her life and is determined to stay on a path toward success.